Author name: oisinkelly

A newspaper editor has been fined the equivalent of €1,200 for publishing photographs of the body of Michaela McAreavey. The 27-year-old daughter of County Tyrone GAA manager, Mickey Harte was murdered on her honeymoon in Mauritius in January 2011. The Mauritian Sunday Times published pictures showing the crime scene and her body last year. Editor […]

A Belfast woman who sunk and became trapped in sand on the Five Fingers Strand in Inishowen has called on the council to erect signs warning of the danger. The scenic stretch of beach near Malin Head is hugely popular with locals and visitors alike, however ‘Jan’ has told how she and her husband had

Highland Radio News can reveal that Raphoe Town Football Club has been granted permission to build a new Football pitch, clubhouse and car park. In January, conditional permission was granted for the development to be located at Drumineney, Raphoe but that was appealed to An Bord Pleanala. After the council awarded permission  a small group

There are calls for the Council, Toursim authorities and local anglers to come together to help make Donegal an internationally recognised recreational fishing destination. Councillor Ian McGarvey says not enough is being done to maximise the tourism potential of the county’s rivers, lakes and sea. In the short term, he wants a the council to

Efforts will be made to see if the Donegal backed Gaeltacht Scholarship scheme can be extended after in excess of 500 people submitted applications for places this year. This week, 34 people were awarded a Gaeltacht Scholarship which is worth a total of 25 thousand euro. Councillor David Alcorn is Chair of Coiste Na Gaelge He says

The CEO of the Galway and Roscommon University Hospitals Group says that everyone from Galway to Donegal should be proud of the group and the hospital’s under its control.   Bill Maher was addressing members of the HSE West Forum after it was confirmed last month that hospitals in Letterkenny, Sligo and Castlebar have been

It’s been suggested that specially trained fire fighters could be deployed as a backup to the Ambulance Service in instances when an ambulance on call cannot respond to an emergency within an acceptable time frame. The call has come from Donegal North East Deputy Padraig Mac Lochlainn, who says he’s received representations from trained fire

Cross-border student access to higher education will dominate a special committee meeting attended by the Education Minister later today. The issue will be discussed during the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement later today (10.30am). The meeting, which is divided into two sessions, will hear from Minister Ruairi Quinn and representatives from

A man described as pillar of his community has been sentenced to three years for a series of sex offences against three sisters that started when they were 12 years old. Frank McHugh, 66, of Narin, Portnoo, Co. Donegal, was sentenced to three years with 11 months suspended when he admitted 17 sexual assaults on

A bar in London has been slammed over its decision to name a cocktail ‘Sundae, Bloody Sundae’. The ice-cream based drink – served at the Adventure Bar in Covent Garden – comes complete with a small, green army man carrying a rifle. 14 people died when members of the Parachute Regiment opened fire on a

The Taoiseach is being told to “get off his arse” and deal with the issue of legislating for assisted suicide. It comes after Enda Kenny rejected a call from Independent TD John Halligan to legislate in restricted circumstances, saying it was not open to him. Tom Curran – partner of  Donegal native Marie Fleming, who

Rescue services have responded to an emergency call in the Malin Head area, the second in two days. On Wednesday afternoon a man has suffered a broken leg in a fall in the Dunalderagh area. He was tended to at the scene by a rescue crew before being transported to hospital by the  him to

Carndonagh District Court has awarded four pubs a license to serve alcoholic drinks 23 hours per day. Cavanagh’s Bar in Greencastle, The Seaview Tavern and Farren’s Bar in Malin Head will now be allowed to serve drinks to fishermen from Monday to Friday from 2am until 1am. Judge Paul Kelly advised the  bar owners that

A Chinese national who appeared at Donegal Circuit Court today accused of cultivating cannabis plants has been further remanded for trial in July. Pui Lam Sam, 64, is charged with possession of cannabis and cultivating 300 plants worth €240,000 at Garvagh, Ballintra, on January 24. Judge John O’Hagan remanded him to Letterkenny Circuit Court. The

A newspaper editor has been convicted of outrage to public and religious morality for publishing photographs of the body of Michaela McAreavey. The 27-year-old daughter of Tyrone Senior Football team Manager Mickey Harte was murdered on her honeymoon in Mauritius in January 2011. Editor of The Sunday Times in Mauritius, Imraan Hosany was arrested three

A Dutch woman has been airlifted to hospital after falling on rocks at Malin Head. A helicopter was dispatched by the coastguard as an ambulance crew could not reach her -she was flown to City of Derry Airport and then transported by ambulance to Altnagelvin Hospital. The 49-year-old from Holland broke her ankle in the

A spokesperson for Letterkenny Community Childcare has said she found last nights Prime Time Investigates programme, which showed children being manhandled, as deeply upsetting. The programme “A Breach of Trust” focused on three creches in Dublin and Wicklow, showing footage of children being flung onto mattresses, manhandled, shouted and cursed at and strapped into chairs

Sinn Fein are accusing the SDLP of a ‘cop out’, after they said they would not block a bill barring ex-prisoners from becoming special advisers at Stormont. SDLP leader Alistar McDonnell announced yesterday that his party would not sign a petition of concern which could have prevented the Special Advisers Bill becoming law. It’s believed

Donegal County Council is looking at reducing the development charge for new ‘one off houses’ by as much as half. Councillor Seamus O’Domhnaill has raised the issue stating that with the Local Property Tax, Septic tank charges and road tax the Development Charge at its current rate is unjustifiable. He has welcomed a council commitment

There is anger in Inishowen that there seems to be significant progress on plans to build a second bridge across the Swilly in Letterkenny while construction of the Cockhill project in Buncrana has still not begun. That’s according to Councillor Jack Murray who made the comments as he called for a footbridge to be provided

The property tax collection will be the focus of the Finance and Public Expenditure Committee meeting later today. Members will meet with the Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners Josephine Feehily to find out details of the contract service providers and the cost of administration of the local property tax. Meanwhile, revenue announced last night that

It is estimated around 80 per-cent of the Gaeltacht primary schools across the country have four teachers or less. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection will meet today to consider pupil/teacher ratios in small Gaeltacht schools today. There are worries among communities that these schools are particularly vulnerable to changes in the

The number of mortgages being approved has increased by 36 per cent, in the past 6 months, according to the latest figures from the Irish Banking Federation. The Housing Market Monitor also shows the number of homes listed in the first quarter of this year has dropped 15 per cent, with a significant shortage of

Education Minister Ruari Quinn has admitted mistakes were made when the SUSI system was introduced to process student grants. He was being questioned in the Dail about the centralised system for the payment of third level grants last year. SUSI – Or Student Universal Support Ireland – was marred by months of delays in issuing

Detectives in Foyle are appealing for information following an aggravated burglary in the Greenfield Park area of Strathfoyle around 1 o’clock this morning. Police say two men with their faces covered forced their way into a house and assaulted a man inside before making off over a grass area towards Butlers Wharf. Anyone with information

Breast check has been extended into Inishowen for women aged between 50 and 64. The National Breast Screening Programme is currently inviting women living in Buncrana, Carndonagh, Straid, Ardmalin and Greencastle for a free mammogram in the BreastCheck mobile digital screening unit located at the Shorefront Car Park in Buncrana. If the appointment time or

North West MEP Marian Harkin says the government must take action to address regional disparities in Ireland. Speaking after the publication of a comprehensive Quality of Life by the CSO last week, Ms Harkin said it’s clear that the BMW region in general, and Donegal in particular, are lagging behind the rest of the country, and Dublin

The Abbey Hotel in Donegal has been fined €300 and ordered to pay €919 prosecution costs for a breach of the smoking ban last year. The hotel was also banned from selling tobacco products for seven days. Donegal District Court was told that HSE Inspectors discovered a number of people smoking in a prohibited area

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness has revealed how his experience with Celtic has helped him to become a better coach. McGuinness now splits his time between Donegal and the newly-crowned SPL champions after joining the backroom team with Celtic after last year’s All Ireland final victory over Mayo. McGuinness says that being able to observe professional

Veteran County Councillor Ian McGarvey is expected to be Donegal’s next Mayor. The Independent grouping on the Council will nominate the 83 year-old to succeed Mayor Frank McBrearty Junior. Independent Michael McBride will be nominated as Deputy Mayor replacing Councillor Martin Farren. Providing there are no counter proposals, the two Independents will take up their

The Can’t Pay Won’t Pay group is being urged to take down its protest signs to give Tidy Town’s committees across the county the best chance of success in this years competition.   Councillor Paul Canning has made the appeal highlighting estate agents signs as another area of concern.   He is calling on the

  Donegal County Council has unanimously opposed any HSE plans to close the special needs preschool in Letterkenny. One facility has closed in Inishowen with services to be withdrawn in Donegal Town later this year – it is feared that beyond 2015, the facility in Letterkenny will suffer the same fate. The council has agreed

Donegal County Council has called for the immediate release of Hyde Park bombing accused John Downey. The 61 year-old from Creeslough is in prison in Britain having been charged with detonating a bomb in Hyde Park in 1982 causing the deaths of four soldiers. Despite being told in 2007 that he was not being sought

A book of evidence was today(Mon) served on a Chinese national, accusing him of possession of cannabis and cultivating 300 plants worth €240,000 at a Donegal farmhouse. Pui Lam Sam, 64, was sent forward for trial to Donegal Town Circuit Court starting on Wednesday. Sam, of no fixed address, was accused at Donegal District Court

A Donegal Councillor has repeated calls for a full investigation into the collapse of a wind turbine near Ardara eight weeks ago. The 245 foot turbine came down in high winds at Loughderryduff. Last week, it’s component parts were broken down and brought to Derry for a full investigation. Cllr Terence Slowey says people must

A 30 year-old man who died following a two car collision over the weekend has been named as Seamus McGroary from Frosses. Mr McGroary was killed after his van collided with car at Brenter, Dunkinelly  at around 11 o’clock on Saturday night. The 21-year-old driver of the car, believed to have be from Laghey, was

The 87 year-old man who died in a house fire yesterday has been named as Jimmy ‘Tom’ McClafferty. The blaze broke out overnight in his house at Glasserchoo outside Gortahork. Fire services from Gweedore and Falcarragh attended the scene after the alarm was raised at around 7.20am yesterday morning and recovered Mr McCafferty’s body. His